An award-winning beach on the north Devon coast has been praised for its beauty during the winter months. While many people flock to the coast during warmer weather, there are plenty of seaside towns and villages in the UK that can be enjoyed even when it’s colder. One of these is Woolacombe Beach, which has a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award and has previously been named the best British beach.
Woolacombe Beach, situated between Croyde and Ilfracombe, is a 2.5-mile sandy spot popular with holiday-goers and surfers. The beach has three large car parks, lifeguards during the summer, and accessible toilets. Walkers can enjoy the stunning coastal footpath and try their hand at bird watching or seal spotting. The beach itself is a renowned surf spot, but it is also popular with kayakers and stand up paddleboarders, particularly when the water is calmer.
Woolacombe village has pubs, cafes and restaurants offering great meals and places to stop – and there are also shops selling beach goods and local crafts, an amusement arcade, and crazy golf. Nearby is the village of Mortehoe with its museum and breathtaking scenery, which forms part of the Voluntary Marine Conservation Area.
Visitors have praised the beach for its scenery and beauty, both during the winter and summer months. One wrote on Tripadvisor: “We walked the beach from end to end, the winter sunshine meant that despite the strong wind it was an invigorating walk.”
Another said: “This place is beautiful in the summer sun, and in the winter with high waves and scudding clouds it’s absolutely stunning.”
A third said the beach was “perfect for walking the dogs” in the winter, while someone else posted: “I recommend to everybody to visit this beach. Great place to relax especially in winter when there are no people. Breathtaking views. I was surprised it is a better beach than some beaches in the Mediterranean.”
While one visitor said the nearby area is mostly shut down for the winter, the beach is “absolutely wonderful” in the colder months, and “totally clean”. They continued: “Free parking is available on the front. You could spend many happy hours here playing or just walking along this wonderful beach.”
